[Python-Dev] Dropping externally maintained packages (Was: Please stop changing wsgiref on the trunk)

[Neal Norwitz]

On 6/12/06, Greg Ward <gward-1337f07a94b43060ff5c1ea922ed93d6 at python.net> wrote:
> [Guido]
> > While I am an enthusiastic supporter of several of those additions, I
> > am *not* in favor of the special status granted to software
> > contributed by certain developers, since it is a burden for all other
> > developers.
>
> [Martin]
> > Each maintainer should indicate whether he is happy with a "this is
> > part of Python" approach. If so, the entry should be removed from PEP
> > 360 (*); if not, the code should be removed from Python before beta 1.
>
> I very much identify with Phillip's gripe, but I gotta admit Guido has
> the compelling argument here.  Personally, I have noticed very few
> "rogue" changes to optparse.py over the years, and have quietly grumbled
> and backported most of them over to Optik for eventual re-merge to
> optparse.  (One or two got dropped because I had already fixed the
> problem differently in Optik.)

Also note it sucks for users.  For example, I recently closed an
optparse bug without even looking at it, since it has to go into the
optik tracker afaik (I think it was a doc issue).  Did the person
bother to go through the effort to submit the bug a second time?  I
don't know, but we know many people don't submit bugs the first time.
The process adds work to users too.

n